The Sensible Mining ASAP Guidelines
The members of Congress who are leading the charge for mining reform
need to include key policies that will make a difference in protecting
key fish and wildlife habitats. These policies, recommended by the
Sportsmen for Sensible Mining campaign's ASAP Guidelines, ask that
Congress Assess a royalty from any minerals taken from public lands,
Strengthen conservation protections, Allow "Good Samaritans"
reclamation incentives and common-sense liability relief, and Prohibit
the patenting or sale of public lands under this law.
 Assess a royalty from any minerals taken from public lands to fund fish
and wildlife conservation programs and abandoned mine reclamation.
Sportsmen believe in "pay for play." For almost a century, fees from
the sale of hunting and fishing equipment and licenses have been used to
help state officials protect fish and wildlife resources through
scientific research and habitat management. Potential mining claimants
who benefit from use of public lands should likewise shoulder the costs
of wildlife management through royalty payments to the federal treasury.
Allocation of those funds should go to state fish and game departments,
conservation organizations, and others for fish and wildlife habitat
improvement projects associated with past mining.
 Strengthen protections against mining impacts for fish, wildlife, and water resources.
SSportsmen believe that federal land managers need clear regulatory and legal authority to assure adequate reclamation of mining sites. In addition, sportsmen want to prohibit the patenting or sale of public lands under this law.
Allow "Good Samaritans" reclamation incentives and common-sense liability relief.
Companies and non-profits that have no connection to the abandoned mine waste or interest in re-mining the area for minerals should be allowed to return the land to other valid uses, following reclamation of the land to the extent feasible.
 Prohibit the patenting or sale of public lands under this law.
America's hunters and anglers depend upon public lands and waters for habitat managed for the sustainability of fish and wildlife resources and open access to pursue their tradition of hunting and fishing. Unfortunately more than three million acres of our public lands — along with the extraordinary habitat they once provided — have been
practically given away to mining companies for as little as $2.50 to $5 per acre under the patenting provisions of the Mining Law of 1872.
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